Article published: July 29, 2009
Getting more than what you see
Patriot Park fields built with more than just World Series in mind

By TREVOR ZION BAUKNIGHT
Item Sports Writer
TBauknight@theitem.com

The Sumter community got a close-up look at its new baseball-softball complex at the Patriot Park Sportsplex on Tuesday when local dignitaries cut the ribbon on the new facility just in time for the Dixie Softball World Series, which gets underway this weekend.

Patriot Park, already the site of an outstanding soccer complex, is being built in phases, and the baseball-softball fields and their central structure represent Phase II of the project, which was funded by the one cent sales tax voters approved in November's election.

Four fields surround a central control tower, which offers all the amenities spectators could want, from covered seating to a thermal design that seems to pull in breezes out of nowhere.

Sumter County Deputy Administrator Gary Mixon explained the layout of the new park and the vision he's had for it as he's overseen the construction for the last nine months.

“There's one regulation field, which will allow us to host high school and collegiate events,” he said. “We did that to partner with Riley Park, because most collegiate events require two regulation fields, and we have that now in Sumter and we can go aggressively after those tournaments.

“The other three fields are slightly smaller,” he said. “They're geared toward our regular-season teams for the 13-18 year-olds. We can play any of those out here, and we can probably play small division high school games out here as well.”

Temporary fences are in place for the World Series, and, also with the World Series in mind, the infields are smaller than they will be when the facility begins to host baseball games.

“There will be larger infields for baseball, and that's really what they were built for,” Mixon said. “We wouldn't do that for any other tournaments unless it's for that same caliber of play. That's a minor expense, though, compared to the revenues that it's bringing in, but we felt like while we had the opportunity and it was being built new, we'd do it like this for this first tournament and then back off of it.”

The fields are irrigated, which is another major consideration when it comes time to bid for tournaments, and the facility is designed with flexibility in mind.

“We wanted to make sure the majority of the community, as much as it can, can get to experience this facility,” Mixon said. “Not many kids will get a chance to play in a place like this.”

Mixon said everything from the grassy embankments down the base lines to the wide sidewalks surrounding the backstops were designed with the parents and fans in mind.

Mixon said his own experience as a player and parent led directly to some of the design decisions.

“I played for a lot of years, and my kids have gone through it,” he said. “Once I got my kids going through it, I started recognizing things that I wanted to do with this facility, and we tried to incorporate all those things into this park.”

It's not bad for the players, either.

Forty-foot dugouts that are actually dug into the ground are equipped with fans and other conveniences for the thousands of players that will make their way through them in years to come.

“Very few players will get a chance to play out of dugouts like that unless they went to a major Division I college,” Mixon said. “It's got everything in it down to the hooks for the bat bags and helmet racks — you name it. It's just a nice facility.”

Mixon's daughter, Morgan, is the catcher for the 18-under Dixie Debs team, which will start its run through the World Series at the recently refurbished Bobby Richardson Complex at Palmetto Park fields, also being used for the tournament. She said getting to Tuesday's round and playing at Patriot Park is something the whole team is excited about.

“I think we have one or two players on the team that will be here next year and will be able to maybe get here,” she said. “This is my one chance, and a lot of other girls on my team, so it's a huge incentive to be able to get here.”

Mixon said she couldn't get her father to pull any strings to get the Debs playing at the new facility in the early rounds, but that she definitely tried.

“I begged my dad over and over again, please, please, please, put us here,” Mixon said. “But they told me Palmetto looks great, and I've seen it and it does, so I'm privileged to play in either park. But to at least get one game here would be great.”

Expectations are high for the Debs, which is a team loaded with talent at every position, and particularly in the pitching circle.

“I'm excited and I think about it all the time,” Mixon said. “I've been hitting the (batting) cages as much as possible trying to get ready for this tournament. It's anticipation, and I'm jittery, but I'm excited.

“Everybody's ready to see us pick one up (a World Series title),” she added. “So if we stay together and do our thing, I think it will be good.”